American double-standards: Oil and Environment 
The constants and variables of the American foreign policy are perfectly clear to those who are interested in it and keeping track of it, as they are completely aware of the duality of such policy due to the prioritization of the American interest over the principles in case of contradictions, which falls under the list of the concerned constants.
During the meeting held on October 5 in Vienna, OPEC+ agreed to reduce their oil production to 2 million barrels/day starting next November, with the aim to increase oil prices which have recently significantly declined due to the poor global economy. The consensus revealed the duality of the American perspective towards many issues of common international interest, including oil and environment issues.
For instance, although it is concerned with environmental issues and consider oil and gas as key pollutants, and despite its reliance on clean and renewable energy resources, the US has described the decision to reduce oil production issued by OPEC+ as in alliance with Russia within the Russian-European conflict represented, in military terms, by the current Russian-Ukrainian war.
A question arises: How does the US, which is keen to adopt environment-related issues, condemn a decision that works in favor of the environment thanks to the reduction of oil production, seen by America as the most dangerous environmental pollutants?
In answer to this question, we have already mentioned that American foreign policy is driven by pragmatism and interest, even if the latter sometimes contradicts the humanitarian and social principles adopted by the White House.
In addition, the oil production reduction decision adopted by OPEC+ negatively affects the top oil-consuming countries, including the US. This clearly states that the decision is taken against America’s interest as, in a consequence of such a decision, the price of oil and its derivatives will rise. Therefore, America will be forced to use its reserve. Other consequences will arise, such as high price implications as well as other economic repercussions in the US.
Strange reactions were witnessed in the US towards the concerned decision, such as the high frequency of the American condemnation towards both, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for supporting the reduction, while all the assembled countries voted in favor of the decision. This condemnation is a clear representation of the American double standards.
Although the US is condemning the Kingdom regarding the reduction, one should objectively analyze the need of America to understand such a decision, as well as the reasons that led OPEC+ countries, including the Kingdom, to agree thereon.
In fact, oil-producing countries have the right to maintain its price and prevent it from deterioration, as well as to protect their economies from the resulting shocks. In addition, although it has condemned Riyadh, the US realizes that oil prices may double many times after issuing the reduction decision if Iran achieves its expansionist goals in the Gulf through the support it provides for the Houthi militias and Hezbollah.
Even though the criticism and condemnation of the American media discourse on Saudi Arabia as a result of the reduction decision seems intense, this does not mean that it lacks any objectivity. The discourse stated that the politicization of both, condemnation and criticism harms the existing consensus between Washington and Riyadh on many strategic issues of common interest.
In fact, the US is aware of the value of the consensus between it and Riyadh on many issues, including the Iranian expansion in the Gulf and Tehran’s threat against the American strategic interests in the region.
Moreover, the US acknowledges the value of Saudi Arabia as a strategic ally that must be preserved in the current polarization of international actors, which is continuously escalating in the Russian-Ukrainian war context and requiring Washington to keep its strategic allies and prevent them from heading towards Russia or China.
Last but not least, the main factor that confirms the high American attack pace against the reduction decision falls within Biden administration’s desire to prove itself in managing the oil price file and to deny the spreading gossips inside the US about its inability to set limits for OPEC in controlling oil prices.
• Fares Al-Ghannami is a Saudi writer and intellectual interested in political affairs. Twitter: @farescom200
